


Milking It

by Sincerely_Sierra



Category: American Horror Story, American Horror Story: Coven
Genre: Comfort, F/F, Flu, Girlfriends - Freeform, Sick Fic, Some Humor, sick, some sexual references, zadison
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-09
Updated: 2019-01-09
Packaged: 2019-10-07 02:23:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17357129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sincerely_Sierra/pseuds/Sincerely_Sierra
Summary: Madison returns the favor and takes care of Zoe when she’s sick, but it proves difficult, and Zoe begins to think Madison hates her.





	Milking It

**Author's Note:**

> Well, look here. Another one of these plots. I wrote this on my MacBook and then totally forgot about it until today and couldn’t let it go to waste, so here you go. It’s not my best, and it was supposed to be complete humor, but I’m in a dark place right now. I tried. :)
> 
> —Sincerely, Sierra

Zoe Benson loves Madison Montgomery with all her stupid, lovesick heart, but goddamnit, the former actress is a real pain in the ass when she's ill. For a week, Madison suffered strep throat, fever, chills, and an ear infection. Cordelia's weird potions and such helped the ear infection, but Madison's throat could only be healed through medicine obtained after Zoe literally dragged her to the doctor. As she laid in bed, Madison forced Zoe to do everything for her; waiting on her hand and foot, cooking for her, cleaning up her vomit when something didn't agree with her sickness, and even going so far as reading a book to her because reading "makes her sleepy."

 

The younger witch has to admit, she enjoys nurturing her girlfriend. But she can be a burden, and sometimes, Madison enjoys torturing her. Zoe will never forget how Madison opened her mouth wide and asked her if there were white patches on her tonsils caused by strep throat and there actually were. Absolutely repulsive doesn't begin to describe it. After a week, Madison recovered and was back to her old bitchy self, but she thanked Zoe for caring for her in her time of need. Zoe rolled her eyes and muttered a "whatever," because she was tired after 7 days of nonstop whining and vomit cleaning, and one thank you did not cut it. Nothing would rid her nostrils of the smell of regurgitated heated milk and mashed potatoes, and nothing would wash the puke stains out of her favorite shirt.

 

What goes around comes around, though. Zoe wakes up feeling like absolute shit. Her head hurts, her body is covered in cold sweat, she's shivering, and she's nauseous and weak. Across the room, in her own bed, Madison is asleep, a heap of blankets piled on top of her because Cordelia won't turn on the heater although it's freezing outside. Zoe is cold, too, but not cold in the way Madison is cold. She's a wet cold, like extremely clammy and damp. She starts to get out of bed, but her head spins and she falls back down. The sunlight cracking in through the curtain lace touches her face, and her eyes react wildly, aching and burning.

 

"Madison?" Zoe asks voice hoarse. "Madison? Maddie!"

 

The cry wakes Madison up, and she rolls over and peeks from under one of the blankets. She groans and sits up when she sees Zoe looking expectantly and quite needy at her. She knows that look all too well. The lost puppy look. It means she isn't feeling right and wants comfort. Madison figures, Zoe has done a lot for her, so she finds the will to get out of bed. It's only nine am on a Sunday morning, which is way before they usually wake up, even Zoe.

 

"What the hell, Zoe?" Madison moans as she rubs her eyes. "What's your problem?"

 

"I. . .don't feel so good," Zoe says.

 

Now that Madison gets a better look at her, Zoe does look kind of pale and her eyes are sunken in. If she wasn't breathing, she would think Zoe was dead. Madison frowns and feels Zoe's forehead. Her hand comes back sweaty and hot, glistening with perspiration.

 

"Fuck," Madison mutters under her breath. "You have a fever. Does anything hurt?"

 

"My head, my back, my ears, my throat," Zoe moans.

 

The blonde chews her lip, unsure of what to do. When she woke up sick, Zoe knew exactly what had to be done, and that's the only reason Madison made it out alive. But Madison hates sick people and she doesn't know how to take care of a sick person. It's ridiculous to not have a clue, but she really doesn't, and now she feels bad that her girlfriend is sick and she's so lost on how to help her.

 

"I'll go get Cordelia," Madison says, beginning to leave the room.

 

"No!" Zoe cries out, causing Madison to jump. "Stay with me."

 

"I have to go get Cordelia. I don't know what to do for you."

 

Despite being on death's door, Zoe pouts and crosses her arms at her girlfriend, and goddamnit, she is so fucking adorable and the only thing on this godforsaken earth that Madison can go completely soft for. Madison sighs and wanders over to Zoe to place a soft kiss on her damp forehead. Zoe sighs and nestles her face into Madison's torso, breathing in the smell of expensive perfume and laundry detergent. However, the scent is too overpowering, and Zoe vomits all over her poor girlfriend's pajama top.

 

"I'm—I'm sorry," Zoe says with a sniffle as she wipes her mouth with the back of her hand.

 

Disgusted, Madison backs up and leaves the room, trying her luck that Cordelia is downstairs for her morning coffee. She finds her Supreme in the kitchen as she tiredly stands before the coffee maker that's brewing a fresh pot of piping hot caffeine. Cordelia turns from the humming appliance at the sound of Madison's feet padding against the cold floor. She goes to bid her a good morning, but she notices the foul stain on her clothes.

 

"What happened to your clothes?" Cordelia asks. "Is that vomit? I thought you were over your sickness."

 

"It's not mine. Zoe puked on me and she has a fever. She said her throat is hurting and she has chills. It's grossing me out," Madison huffs.

 

Cordelia rushes upstairs to the girls' room, and Zoe is still on her bed, bleary eyes wandering about as if looking for Madison's company. They turn a bit cloudy at the sight of Cordelia, but a little relieved, nonetheless. Cordelia kneels before her young witch and gently feels her face. Hotter than what Madison felt before. Cordelia's eyebrows knit in confusion and worry.

 

"You are burning up! Stay here, I'll go get the thermometer and then I'll go down to the greenhouse and make you something for your throat," she says.

 

"Where is Madison?" Zoe asks, and tears prickle in her eyes, but they aren't a symptom of the flu.

 

"She's downstairs. She's worried about you." With that, Cordelia heads back downstairs and her presence is replaced with Madison’s.

 

Hesitant, Madison draws nearer to her girlfriend, cautious, like a baby bird taking flight. Zoe reaches out like a child, hands trembling. A feeling of remorse floods Madison like a curse and she wants to wrap Zoe in her arms, but she refuses to keep her sick shirt on any longer, so she pulls it over her head, leaving nothing but a bralette, and then sits next to Zoe, who clasps herself around her like a bear hugging a tree.

 

"Please take care of me," Zoe whimpers.

 

"I will. Because you did it for me."

 

She's too woozy and tired to completely wrap her head around it, but Zoe smiles into Madison's chest. Oh, yes, she will take care of her, and she will do so for a long while.

 

+++

 

Zoe's highest temperature was 103. It's slowly reducing, but she still feels like absolute shit. Day two of the flu is the worst. The chills worsen, the vomiting is more frequent, and Madison is covered head to toe in snot and puke. She promised Zoe that she would take care of her night and day, but she's beginning to regret ever promising that, because it was taken literally. Not only does Madison wipe up vomit and mucus from Zoe's mouth and nose every morning and afternoon, she also holds her head in the toilet at night and cradles her until she falls asleep in her arms.

 

In the past 6 hours, Zoe has called for Madison at least 15 times. Most times, she truly needs something, like needing help to stand up and go to the bathroom, or some more of Cordelia's potion for her raw throat, but sometimes she's just having a little fun with the blonde. Seeing her get all in a huff and trying to put on a smile so she doesn't seem like such a bitch makes Zoe giggle a little. Cordelia had the audacity to give the girl a bell to ring when she needed help, and she is utilizing it in abundance.

 

This time, Zoe really needs Madison. Her glass of orange juice is empty and she is too lethargic to move.

 

"Maddie? Maddie! Madison, I need more juice, please!" Zoe calls as she rings the bell, hoping she can hear her from the kitchen where she took refuge to escape her calls for assistance.

 

Downstairs, Madison shudders at her name being shouted for the umpteenth time today. Cordelia sits beside her, chuckling and stirring her tea. She's aware that Zoe is using her flu to her best advantage and making a show of getting Madison to wait on her hand and foot, and frankly, Cordelia is enjoying watching the former actress squirm in disgust every time she has to flush the toilet after Zoe has pulled her head out of it or when Zoe dares to breathe too close to her.

 

"God, she is really getting on my nerves," Madison grumbles, climbing the stairs to their room. "Zoe, I literally just refilled that glass!"

 

"But I want some more. Without so many seeds. I don't like those. Please?" Zoe asks. "You're supposed to take care of me."

 

"Ugh, fine! But after I do this," Madison says as she swipes the bell from the nightstand and flings it across the room. It shatters into several pieces.

 

"Madison! Why would you do that? Now how am I supposed to call you when I need you?" Zoe asks, eyeing her broken call of distress.

 

Madison doesn't respond. Instead she grabs the empty glass and stomps back down to the kitchen. Cordelia laughs to herself as quietly as she can and continues stirring sugar into her tea. Madison makes a huge deal out of pouring fresh orange juice into the cup of sick germs.

 

"Why did you break the bell?" Cordelia asks. "I heard it shatter."

 

"Because it's getting on my goddamned nerves!" Madison snaps, brushing past her and returning upstairs with both the full glass and the entire jug of juice.

 

Zoe is fast asleep by the time Madison brings her juice to her. The lethargy has really gotten to her and she's exhausted from the pain spreading through her body. Madison wants to cuss and growl at her, but she just can't, not when Zoe looks absolutely adorable when she sleeps. So she sets the juice down on the nightstand and brushes a faint, fleeting kiss over Zoe's cheek. Her skin is so soft and flawless, smooth as butter and softer than a marshmallow. She loves the way her skin is warm against her lips, warmer than usual, of course, but still warm and comforting. Nothing is sweeter than Zoe's skin touching her own.

 

"I love you," Madison whispers into her ear, and she leaves without seeing the tiny smile on Zoe's lips.

 

+++

 

Madison is going to fucking kill Cordelia if it's the last thing she does. Because Madison broke the bell, Cordelia took it upon herself to torture her and went out and bought a baby monitor. She hooked up the base on Zoe's nightstand—next to the juice—and clipped the receiver onto Madison's pants. Since then, the lights on it have been going off and Zoe's tired voice has been complaining through it. It takes Madison two hours before she realizes something as her finger grazes the power button on the receiver.

 

"Cordelia, you thought you could outsmart me?" Madison asks. "Don't you realize I'm in control of this thing?"

 

"You break it, you buy it."

 

With an eye roll, Madison simply taps the power button and the lights shut off and Zoe's whines cease. With a raised eyebrow, Cordelia looks up from her spell book and sighs, removing her reading glasses. Good god, this girl is an even bigger pain in the ass well than ill. Sometimes she wishes Madison were still stuck in that bed, weak and helpless with her mouth full of strep throat, so she wouldn't have to hear her complaining.

 

"Madison, she took good care of you when you were sick. The least you could do is take care of her. What if she tries to get out of bed and falls and hurts herself? How are you supposed to hear her from down here? She needs you more than anything right now. I've done all I can do for her," Cordelia says.

 

"Oh, please, she is completely milking this for all it's worth! She made me change her socks for the third time today for no reason! It's ridiculous!" Madison scoffs.

 

"Madison, just bear with her. A few more days and it will be over. Now turn that back on," Cordelia softly demands, pointing to the monitor.

 

Instead of listening to Cordelia as she should, Madison takes the monitor and tosses it onto the the table, next to Cordelia's book. The older witch runs a hand over her face and sighs into her palm, shaking her head.

 

"I'm on break. You take care of Miss Influenza now," the young actress huffs, spinning on her heel and leaving through the backdoor, presumably to go light up a cigarette and wash away the supposed "stress" of dealing with Zoe.

 

Cordelia turns the monitor on and puts it to her ear, listening to Zoe's breathing as she sleeps. It sounds stuffy and clogged, mostly from her having a stuffy nose and being unable to breathe through her nose. Cordelia has this motherly thing going on about her. She's always felt protective of her girls—even that little shit smoking outside—and she can't help but worry when one of them is sick. Sometimes she feels as if she cares more for Zoe than Madison does. She doesn't bitch and moan about having to bring her soup or spoon feed it to her when she's too weak and shaky to hold a spoon.

 

Zoe's breathing is steady for a few minutes, while Madison is still out taking drags of her cigarette. Cordelia sets the monitor down and resumes reading her book, trying to figure out this spell she wants Zoe to practice once she's better.

 

"Madison?" Zoe's voice startles Cordelia. "Maddie! I need you!"

 

Looking between Madison outside and the receiver, Cordelia contemplates which one to go for. Zoe is calling for Madison, but Madison is not too willing right now. She goes with her motherly instincts and rushes upstairs, abandoning the monitor on the table along with her spell book. Zoe is still calling for Madison when Cordelia enters her room. The young girl is curled up in bed, clutching her pillow in her arms like it's a teddy bear.

 

"Zoe? What's wrong?" Cordelia asks.

 

"Where's Madison?" Zoe wonders between hazy vision and a burning throat.

 

"She's smoking. Are you alright?" The Supreme sits at the edge of the bed and brushes Zoe's hair from her forehead, allowing her hand to linger there to feel the heat.

 

Zoe is so small this way. She reminds Cordelia of a little girl in her bed with her security blanket. She's always had these big doe eyes, light brown like milk chocolate, and now they're red-ringed and sleepy. The girls seems ten years younger like this. It's times like these that Cordelia wishes she were able to have one of her own. Thankfully, she has her witches to fulfill most of the maternal needs she's harbored for years, especially Zoe.

 

"I wanted Madison," Zoe sniffles.

 

Cordelia sympathetically sighs.

 

Downstairs, Madison returns from her smoke break, brushing her clothes off. She notices Cordelia is gone and had left the monitor and her book on the kitchen table. Rolling her eyes, she goes to get a glass of water for herself, until the voices make her stop.

 

"Does Madison love me?" Zoe asks.

 

Pause.

 

"Of course she does, honey," Cordelia says, almost begging for Zoe to believe her so she won't have to meddle.

 

Madison frowns and shuts off the tap so she can hear better. She sits at the table and holds the receiver in her hand until her knuckles turn ghostly white.

 

"Then why does she hate taking care of me?" Zoe asks. It seems she's crying now, because her voice is much more choked than before.

 

"I think she's just tired. But she loves you. She wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you. I promise," Cordelia says soothingly. “Don’t cry, okay?”

 

“I know I’m clingy, but I don’t feel good and she helps me feel better. I’m so lonely up here. She must hate me,” Zoe sniffles.

 

Madison's heard enough. She turns off the stupid thing and wipes the hot tears forming in her eyes. Zoe thinks she hates her, and that is not true at all. Madison has never loved someone more than she loves Zoe. At first, she didn't think she was capable. But she is and she wants Zoe to know that. She is capable of loving and what does she show for it? Nothing. It's now she realizes that, if she doesn't get up there and take care of her own, she might lose the one thing she breathes for.

 

So she waits for all her tears to dissipate before she walks upstairs, brushing Cordelia's shoulder on the way up. The two say nothing to each other, not once glancing at the other.

 

"Zoe?" Madison calls, peeking into their bedroom. "I was outside. What's wrong?"

 

"I. . .just wanted you to lay with me," Zoe softly admits, chewing her bottom lip as she looks away.

 

Touchy-feely has never been Madison's strong suit, but her relationship is hanging on by a thread, so she climbs into the bed with the sweaty sheets and brings Zoe into her arms. The younger girl lays her head on Madison's chest and wraps her arms around her, ditching the pillow on the floor. Gently, with the touch of wind, the former actress kisses Zoe's hairline.

 

"You're so warm," Madison murmurs against Zoe's skin.

 

"I'm cold."

 

It's against her better judgment, but Madison brings the blanket tighter around them and presses her body further to Zoe's, using her own skin as a weighted blanket. Hot and wet don't begin to even describe the way the bed feels. The room smells of sick and mucus and makes Madison nauseous, but she doesn't move from her position beside her girlfriend, knowing that, if she does, she may not have one.

 

"Maddie?" Zoe asks. "I'm still cold."

 

Without hesitating, Madison slips her shirt off and removes her bra, tossing them both to the floor. Zoe snuggles up closer until her face is pressed firmly into Madison's bare breast. Her milky skin is hot and slick in comparison to Madison's dry warmth. Something about the way the blonde's flesh stroking hers as she breathes lulls her to sleep in her arms. While she sleeps, Madison doesn't dare move from her spot. Instead she kisses around Zoe's face, mouth and all, and reaches over to unplug the monitor from the wall. She won't need it anymore.

 

+++

 

Madison's mother never loved her. She never took interest in caring for her like a mother should. If Madison wasn't with a nanny, she was with some random guy her mom stumbled through the door with. The girl never got sick much. A cold here and there, but nothing detrimental to her life. Still, when she was feeling like shit with a headache or chills, her mother didn't come to make sure she was okay. She shooed her away to her room and forced her to lay there with some children's Advil and a box of tissues. Not once did she take her to a doctor or hold her in her arms to fight the cold away.

 

Maybe that's what's happening here, with Zoe. Madison doesn't know how to take care of a vulnerable person. She may know vulnerability all too well, but she doesn't know how to manage it. What can she do for Zoe that she's not already done? She's given her medicine, cleaned her vomit, checked her temperature, and rocked her to sleep. The only reason it's been difficult is because this is new territory. She's not once felt the secure arms of someone comforting her as they rocked her to sleep, or experienced the warmth that spreads throughout her body when she knows someone loves her. Well, that was until Zoe came trailing along.

 

Now, Madison knows, and she realizes. The way she parted from her mother because of the lack of nurturing won't become a cycle. Once she's in the groove of it, taking care of Zoe and making sure she is in a well disposition before she leaves the room, it becomes easier. It's natural. Madison hates herself for living for this whole nurturing thing, but she doesn't mind it after her self-deprecation fades away. Zoe needs love and attention while she's stuck in bed and that is exactly what Madison will do.

 

Day five of the flu is better. Zoe's fever is mostly gone and she can move without feeling faint. She almost doesn't need Madison for anything anymore. The baby monitor is useless now that Madison has stuck by Zoe's side and the girl isn't constantly whining about this and that. To be honest, Madison feels. . .lost. For the past few days, she's been curled up with Zoe in between sessions of helping her to the bathroom, giving her baths, feeding her, and forcing painkillers down her throat. Now Zoe is independent and able to do things out of her sheets.

 

"Madison, I can do it myself," Zoe says as she takes the hairbrush from Madison's hand that is forcibly trying to brush her wet hair out.

 

"But you're sick," Madison says.

 

"I'm getting better. My fever is gone and I can almost breathe through my nose. And I'm not puking anymore," Zoe simply states, brushing out her long tangled locks. "What's with you? At first you didn't even want to bring me juice. Now you want to brush my hair and feed me for no reason."

 

Madison sighs very dramatically and puts her hands on her hips, watching Zoe drop her towel and ease into some fresh pajamas Madison had the courtesy of bringing to her. Usually she would ogle and daydream of putting Zoe's ass to good use, but now she only cares about getting Zoe to stop being so goddamn independent and just let Madison baby her.

 

"Look, I didn't know how to show that type of care before. But now I do and I want to take care of you, so just shut up and let me do it," Madison snaps, cringing at her own revelation.

 

"Madison Montgomery," Zoe chuckles, "are you saying you love having to do things for me? You love babying me when I'm sick?"

 

"I guess so. Don't make me say it again."

 

Zoe plants a sloppy kiss on her cheek and wraps her arms around her.

 

"You know what?" Zoe whispers into Madison's ear, breath hot and tempting. "I'll let you. I'm still not feeling 100% better, so you can do everything for me until I am."

 

At a first glance, that fills Madison's cold heart, but then she realizes, she is truly fucked. But really, she’s just totally whipped for Zoe Benson.

 

“I’ll go plug in the monitor,” Madison says as she pulls away from her girlfriend, her disposition completely determined.

 

“Mm, no,” Zoe purrs as she brings her back into her arms. “We don’t want Cordelia to hear anything, do we?”

 

Madison’s face heats up and her eyes sparkle. “Oh, you want me to take care of you like _that_?”

 

“Yes, please.”

 

With a grin, Madison kisses Zoe’s soft lips. “Don’t worry, babe. I’ll fuck you ‘til you’re well again.”

 

Lips firmly planted into each other’s, the two witches stumble over to Zoe’s bed and Madison gently lays the younger girl down against the clean sheets.

 

“I’m going to take good care of you. I promise,” Madison murmurs against the chilled skin of Zoe’s abdomen.

 

Downstairs, Cordelia’s ears burn. She turns off the monitor and shakes her head, wishing she hadn’t heard any of that.

 

“Why did I even plug it back in?” the Supreme quietly asks herself before returning to her book of spells, thanking the universe that she wasn’t born clairvoyant.


End file.
